by Lauren Wood
Harold sat on my couch as I brought out some tea and sat down across from him. He didn’t waste any time getting straight down to it, which I guess is what I would have expected from a lawyer.
“I’m here on behalf of your great aunt, Elizabeth Geraldi,” he explained as he pulled a thick manilla envelope from his briefcase.
“Oh, I’m sorry. There may be some mistake. I don’t believe I have a great Aunt Elizabeth Ger—whatever you just said.”
“Your mother was Angela Geraldi, yes?”
I nodded and blinked, staring blankly ahead.
“And your grandmother was Magda Geraldi? Yes? Her sister, Elizabeth, would be your great aunt.”
My head started to spin. My parents weren’t close with their family before they died, and my grandmother passed away before I was born. I had spent most of my life not thinking about whatever distant relatives survived out there in the world because they certainly didn’t offer to take me in when I was suddenly orphaned as a pre-teen.
“Maybe I vaguely remember an Aunt Liz from my parents’ funeral,” I said slowly as I struggled to remember.
“No one told you?” he questioned. “I am sorry to inform you that she has passed away.”
I almost shrugged, wondering what the hell that had to do with me, but that seemed horribly inappropriate, so I did my best to act sad even though I didn’t know the woman.
“I’m tending to the matters of her will. Everything pertaining to your portion of the inheritance is explained here.” He handed over a few of the forms from his stack.
I did my best to read them over, but I couldn’t get past my confusion about inheriting anything at all. I assumed if I didn’t know her, she wouldn’t really know me. Why would she leave me anything in her will? Ah, well, I thought. Maybe it would be a nice antique watch or even some old jewelry. Either way, I wasn’t good at sifting through the legal jargon spelled out on the pages in my hand, so I gave them back to Harold.
“Would you mind just reading me the important parts? I don’t understand half of what I’m reading, and I really do have a lot of packing to do.”
Harold was put off by the request and hesitated. “Uh, well, Ms. Brookes, maybe I should—you see, your great aunt was a very wealthy woman. She left a number of heirlooms to you, but I suppose the most important thing to mention is that there is the sum of five million dollars that she has left to you.”
My mouth dropped. My heart stopped. What did he just say? I thought I heard him, but my ears were ringing, and I felt dangerously close to falling out flat on the floor.
He slid the papers back into my hand. “Perhaps you’d like to read them again?”
I tried to steady my eyes over the words enough to confirm what Harold had just told me. I didn’t know if I wanted to cry, or scream, or hug him, or all three.
“Did you just say five…million dollars?”
He nodded, and suddenly the five-hundred thousand dollars that I thought would soon be mine didn’t seem like so much.
This couldn’t be real, but one thing became instantly clear. If it was real, if I did now have five million dollars to my name, I didn’t have to enter into the arrangement with Jesse Halstead. I could do whatever I wanted to do, including paying off the contract without it even putting a dent in my inheritance. I was free if I wanted to be.
19
Jesse
I rushed around the house to get things in order for Maya. I was filled with a strange mix of nervousness and excitement, and I didn’t know why. It’s not like she was my girlfriend or that she was even moving in for good. This was just temporary, and soon we’d both have our own secret places on the side.
Yet I kept coming back to how fun she was to be around. I remembered the side-splitting laughter and easy flowing conversations that came any time we hung out. Even bringing her around my family was fun. We were friends, right? We were also dynamite together in bed, no matter how forbidden that was.
I could picture watching movies with her at the end of the day while having a few drinks. Neither of us was good at cooking, but maybe we could learn. It’d be fun. We could play games and have parties. I suddenly felt like a silly kid getting ready for a slumber party or a college kid dreaming about what dorm life and roommates would be like.
What the hell was I thinking? Maya may have been different, but she was still a woman. And she was moving into my apartment. Was this a mistake? As much as I kept trying to ask myself the question honestly, everything in my gut kept answering with a resounding no.
I didn’t feel anxious or tense or afraid the way I always imagined I would in the face of a woman moving in with me. It didn’t make any sense. Out of all the scenarios I could be afraid of, this should be the scariest of them all. She was a fake bride, for Christ’s sake! And we had slept together! As complicated situations went, this was about as complicated as it got. Yet, all I could feel inside was the inexplicable warm sense that everything was going to be all right. Better than all right, even. I felt like this was going to be awesome.
Maybe it wasn’t so crazy to be excited about it. Maya was great, and there were no complications. We had the contract all spelled out and signed. There weren’t any questions about what this was supposed to be or where it was going. I didn’t feel pressured or trapped. We took away all the usual uncertainties of a relationship, and it left room for us to be together and enjoy each other’s company.
I swallowed hard at that thought as I scrambled to hide away anything I wouldn’t want her to find—old stacks of Playboys or underwear filled with holes that I probably should have thrown out a long time ago. That’s what it was. I was enjoying her company so much that it kind of made everything else fade away. The rest of it didn’t matter anymore. Even when we were trying to sort through the ridiculous tasks of wedding planning, we had fun together.
The more I let that sink in, the more flashes I got of Maya’s smile and her laugh. God, she had the best laugh. She would throw her head back and let it all out, not worrying about how she looked or trying to hold anything back. It always came out of nowhere, too, catching me by surprise because the rest of the time, she had a straight, stern look that was hard to read. I guess that’s what they called resting bitch face, but on her, I loved it. Then there was her smell and how soft her skin was. Every time I had to hold her hand or wrap my arm around her in public, it was hard to pull away. I loved all of those things, too.
Shit, I gulped to myself. Did I love her?
That’s when the front door opened. I’d have to deal with that nonsense later, but hopefully, it was just a fleeting moment of insanity. It had to be. Maya was coming in using the extra key I gave her, and I expected to see her struggling with an armful of boxes.
“I’ll send the building’s doormen down to get the rest of it!” I called out as I came around the corner, but Maya was standing there, empty-handed. “Oh, good. I tried calling you, but you didn’t answer. Don’t worry about the boxes. I’ll get someone to bring them up.”
A tight smile flashed across her face but quickly vanished. “Uh, actually, I didn’t bring anything else over.”
“Oh, okay. I mean, should we send movers over? That probably makes more sense. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that sooner.”
“No. I…I changed my mind.” She was tense and spoke very slowly and hesitantly. “I’m…I’m going to hold off on moving in.”
“But what about your landlord? I thought you were getting evicted?”
“I figured it out,” She shrugged, this time with a more genuine smile. “I got the back rent taken care of, and…yeah. So, I’m not going to move in.”
I stood there, staring back at her, trying to get a grip on the overwhelming disappointment I suddenly felt, but I couldn’t hide it from her. It was written all over my face.
“I just figured that we’re going to end up getting our own places anyway, so why go through the trouble? Of course, I’ll still be here for the family visits and stuff, I guess.�
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The bit she threw in at the end felt ominous. She guessed. Something had changed. Something big. I got the feeling it wasn’t just her moving in that was suddenly in question, but I didn’t even know where to begin asking what had happened to change her mind so suddenly. She didn’t seem too eager to divulge anything, either.
My phone had been buzzing in my pocket, relentlessly. I pulled it out just quickly enough to see I had three missed calls from Dominic in a row. Probably some work crisis, but it’d have to wait. This seemed more important.
I shoved the phone back down into my pocket and looked back up to Maya. “Is everything okay? You seem different.”
“Everything’s fine,” she replied unconvincingly. Then, she just stood there and stared back at me as an awkward silence fell.
Everything was definitely not fine. She was distant and holding something back. Maybe I had gotten ahead of myself. These were the complications I thought we were bypassing. I just had no clue what they actually were. My phone kept buzzing. I groaned and yanked it back out to text Dominic that I’d call him in a little bit, but he had texted me first.
“What is it?” Maya asked, noticing the surprised look on my face.
“It’s Liz. She’s in labor!”
It didn’t fully sink in until I said the words out loud, and that’s when I started into action. I rushed around to gather my keys and wallet and bolt out the door. Maya didn’t hesitate to follow me out. Whatever weirdness had suddenly popped up between us would have to wait. One of my drivers pulled around, and we raced off to the hospital.
20
Maya
Jesse and I didn’t speak as the car sped through the busy streets. I knew he was just worried about his soon-to-be sister-in-law and his brother and the health of their baby, but I had a whole different set of worries on my mind in addition to that.
Everything went ridiculously fast with Harold’s visit. It went something like this. A stranger showed up on my doorstep and gave me five million dollars. I signed a piece of paper, and he left. The money went into my bank account. Or, it would be going in there soon. It was currently pending, and I didn’t know what I would do when the numbers actually showed in my balance. I was a millionaire.
My reasoning for everything concerning this fake marriage with Jesse had been ripped out from under me, leaving a gaping hole in all of my decisions. I didn’t need the money anymore, and even though I had signed the contract, it was nothing for me to pay back the money. Not to mention I hadn’t needed a dime of it so far, and the wedding was still in the planning stages. Why was I even there in the car going with him to the hospital? Why did I even go back to his apartment?
Nothing I was doing made any sense to me. Maybe I was still in shock, but I didn’t realize how ridiculous my actions were until I found myself sitting in the backseat with Jesse in complete and total silence. I had no idea what to do next. I should have called him to say everything was off. I should have explained what happened. Why didn’t I just tell him? He’d be happy for me, right?
Well, no. He wouldn’t be happy for me. Because this meant he was out of a bride, and he’d have to tell his family the whole thing was off for whatever reason he could think to give. His grandfather’s dying wish wouldn’t be fulfilled, and it would be all my fault. I signed a contract that I could now just buy my way out of. That’s what I needed to do. That’s what made sense because the rest of it wasn’t my problem.
I started getting irrationally angry with him. It wasn’t my fault that he was an immature playboy who refused to settle down so much that he had to resort to buying a fake bride just to make his family happy. It certainly wasn’t my fault that he cared more about all of that than what would actually make him happy. He didn’t even have the balls to stand up to his family and say he didn’t want to get married and shouldn’t have to. It was his life, not theirs.
This was my life, not his. So, why should I even care about any of that? Reason told me I should have been hurling myself out of the car at the next stop, but I was somehow glued in my place, going through the motions. Before I could bring myself to do any of the things I needed to be doing, we were at the hospital, and it was too late.
I got out of the car and walked around to Jesse. He looked like a scared child, and it was annoyingly adorable. He took my hand in his and squeezed tight, taking in a deep breath. He was leaning on me right now, and for much more than just appeasing his family’s wishes and their idea of our relationship.
I couldn’t just leave him standing there like that. True, I shouldn’t have come at all, but now I was here and would have to see it through. Holding hands, we walked through the automatic doors of the hospital and found our way to Liz’s room.
The baby had been born while we were en route, and everyone was gathered around Liz’s bed, marveling over their little bundle of joy. The small room was packed between the four Halstead brothers and their partners. And me. I was one of those partners, or so everyone thought. I felt like a bigger liar than ever, only now I was lying to Jesse, too.
“A girl!” Liz declared and beamed up at us as we walked in, though the pink blanket the baby was wrapped in would have given that away.
“Adrienne Halstead,” Eric announced, trying to hide the tears in his eyes. “After our mother.”
Everyone else in the room started tearing up, too, and surprisingly, even my own eyes started to feel misty. I had really lost it. I didn’t even know these people, not really. Now I had no business even being here, yet I was crying over the sentiment of them giving their baby his deceased mother’s name—a woman who was probably rolling over in her grave right now, knowing what I was doing to her family by being here, or rather, what I would do to them when I finally broke the news and wasn’t here anymore.
The visit went on with speculation of who little Adrienne looked more like, Liz or Eric. They joked about what a terror she would be with all that Halstead blood in her. Liz teased that someday, her sweet little baby would grow up to date men just like they used to be, and they would all have to squirm and watch, regretting all the hearts they had broken.
“Just until we found the right ones,” Dominic defended, shooting Vanna a loving glance as he kissed her hand.
Eric gave Liz the same look, leaning down to kiss her forehead. Tara and Jason couldn’t get any closer, as she was already sitting in his lap in a chair in the corner, but they made the same dewy eyes at each other.
Jesse turned towards me. I didn’t want to look. I didn’t want to see him pretend to look at me the same way, but I couldn’t make it awkward and avoid him. Everyone would notice. As much as I knew I had no place here, this was not the time to come clean. So, my eyes reluctantly drifted over to his, ready to play along.
His face surprised me. I had been watching him sell this charade of ours the whole time, and I knew he wasn’t that good of an actor. The expression he wore was one of sincerity, and he had the brimming tears to match. He also looked terrified. I felt my own face twist to match his. What was this? What were we silently trying to say to each other?
It was too much for me to take. I wiped away the dampness forming under my lids and quickly looked away, turning to Liz.
“Can I get you anything? Snacks? Coffee? I think I’m going to go grab a bottle of water.” I figured the least I could do was make myself useful.
A few of them spouted off requests from the cafeteria, and I was quick to set off on the task at hand. What I was not expecting, or wanting, was for Jesse to follow me, but he did. Not only did he follow, but he grabbed my hand as we went. I couldn’t take it anymore.
“What are you doing?” I hissed, jerking my hand back. We had this interaction before but in a sweet and curious way. This time I was angry.
“Just…I don’t know. I guess I really don’t know.” He shrugged cluelessly, making a point to keep his hands to himself.
I glared back at him, trying to keep everything from spilling out. I wanted to cling to any anger I felt
towards him because that would make this easier. It really wasn’t fair, though. He hadn’t done anything wrong. He had a problem, and he found a solution. I had been that solution but wasn’t anymore, and it was me who didn’t have the guts to admit it.
The longer I looked at him, the worse I felt. I was sorry for him. If I had never signed up for that stupid service in the first place, some other girl would be standing here right now. Maybe even someone who really wanted to become a part of the Halsteads. I sure didn’t. Did I?
I didn’t know if I could rip it all away from him at the last minute. His grandfather’s condition was worsening every day, and the wedding was only two weeks away. It’s not like he could just go back to the agency at this point and have another girl sent to the wedding to take my place. So, once again, despite everything in me screaming to tell the truth, I said nothing.
The strangest part about it all was that I felt awful, even a little heartbroken. I didn’t understand why. I had just been given five million dollars. What did I possibly have to be heartbroken about?
21
Jesse
If there was ever a sliver of something about getting married that appealed to me, it was the bachelor party. Which is why I had spent my life avoiding the marriage part and making it a non-stop bachelor party. Now my actual bachelor party was here, and I didn’t seem to care.
My brothers were excited to throw the bash for me, thinking it would really be a night to remember. Maybe it would be for them. They raged inside the VIP room of the club we had rented while I snuck off to a balcony to be alone with all of my uneasiness.
The wedding was in just three days, and things didn’t feel any more settled with Maya. Nothing had been the same since she showed up at my apartment empty-handed, suddenly claiming she had changed her mind about moving in. She had been staying at her house every chance she got around the final wedding plans, and she hadn’t explained what caused this sudden shift in her behavior.
